BEHIND THE NEWS

Gov. Chris Christie announced Thursday that $817 million — or more than 70 percent — of federal Sandy housing recovery funds have been disbursed or committed to residents in need. Of the funds, $596 million — or 73 percent is targeted at low and moderate income families, defined as households with income of less than 80 percent of an area’s median income. Source: Office of the Governor

STAFFORD — More than a year after the first floor of Dave Ercolani’s Beach Haven West home was ravaged by superstorm Sandy, he remains frustrated with the pace of the recovery and the bureaucracy he and his wife, Marlene, must navigate to get the federal assistance they need.

But for the past week, his thoughts have been not for himself but for Gov. Chris Christie and the scandal that now threatens to irreparably damage his administration. The governor must be in anguish, Ercolani said.

“Good Lord, he’s not made of stone,” Ercolani said. “He’s in my prayers, and I hope he comes out shining from this.”

Ercolani was among hundreds of people who turned out Thursday at the local firehouse in Manahawkin, where Christie had come to meet with storm victims and announce that a total of $817 million in federal Sandy housing recovery funds had been disbursed in the past eight months.

Thursday’s event was originally scheduled to take place more than a week ago. It had been postponed at the last minute when emails and text messages were released detailing the Christie administration’s involvement in closing several lanes of the George Washington Bridge in an apparent act of political retribution.

In his public remarks Thursday, Christie said he will not be distracted from the continuing recovery effort more than one year after Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore. He said the recovery continues to occupy about 50 percent of his administration’s time.

“As I get ready next Tuesday to take that oath of office for a second time, I want you to know that I am as focused on completing this mission as I was when I woke up on the morning of Oct. 30, 2012,” Christie said. “And nothing will distract me from getting that job done. Nothing.”

That statement brought a round of applause from members of the public who had gathered in the firehouse, along with a contingent of television, print and online reporters, photographers and cameramen, including a crew from CNN.

“I suspect there are more cameras here today than we might have originally thought for a Sandy event in Manahawkin, New Jersey,” Christie quipped. “But I hope all these people with cameras will frequent the local businesses so Manahawkin gets something out of this today, other than to see my smiling face.”

Ocean County, which delivered the widest margin of victory for Christie in his re-election bid in November, is a welcoming place for the governor. He was greeted by homeowners with enthusiasm and applause when he stated his intention not to be distracted by other matters, which Christie did not identify specifically.

Ercolani, a self-described former Democrat who was converted by Christie five years ago, said he understands an investigation is necessary to get to the bottom of what happened. But absent evidence to the contrary, he said, he takes the governor at his word. He said Christie remains a figure of hope for people like him, still struggling to get back to normal after the storm.